Sweet Dreams
by Fuji-FallenAngel
Summary: *Inspired by "Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics* Fuji hears the lyrics at a dance club, appreciates the irony. He's had plenty of girls, used them all, abused their hearts. But he just wants to be used..abused...anything. As long as it's by Tezuka.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Obviously, the word speaks for itself. I'm DIS-claiming them. I don't own them. Duh. **

He sat at the bar by himself, losing himself in the pounding of the bass, the flashing lights, observing the scene around him. This was the life of Fuji Syuusuke. Had been for as long as he could remember, or rather as long as he cared to remember. He watched as his friend, Atobe Keigo, danced with what seemed like the hundredth girl of the night. Normally, Atobe's theatrics annoyed the golden-haired boy, but tonight they were a welcome distraction. _"This would be an interesting place to take pictures," _Fuji thought to himself vaguely, _"the strobe lights would give an interesting twist." _He locked eyes with the bartender, and nodded, signaling he was ready for another drink. Looking around again, he watched a girl around his age dancing by herself to the music. He eyed her russet-colored hair, the way she subtly but forcefully pushed away those men who dared to get too close. At the end of the song, she opened her eyes, returning from her reverie, half-glaring at the boy sitting at the bar before walking over to him. Fuji took a long swig of his drink, then sat it down on the counter. _"Ah, the fun begins." _He thought.

"Why have you been staring at me? Don't deny it, I clearly saw you." The slender girl demanded harshly, sitting down next to Fuji. "Hm? Ah, of course I won't deny it. I am an observer, it's what I do. My M.O. if you will, and you simply caught my interest." Fuji replied to the girl, continuing to observe her as he spoke, "I apologize for any discomfort I caused you." She looked back at him skeptically, as if determining just what game he was playing, and whether or not she was interested. After a moment, she replied, "Why have you kept your eyes closed while speaking to me?" _"Hm…you are an interesting creature, this will be a nice game to play."_ The tensai thought to himself as he answered, "Perhaps I am merely resting my eyes. Or possibly hiding something. Maybe I want to keep my emotions to myself, or maybe I'm just a figment of your drunken imagination, and you prefer not gazing into my eyes. Although if it were the last of these, I would probably know your name." Fuji opened his sharp eyes, and the girl gasped before stuttering, "Et…eto…" Fuji looked at his watch and stood, "I apologize, but I must be going. It's a shame I never got your name, but I have a friend I must find. I'm Fuji Syuusuke by the way." He brushed a piece of hair out of her face, "It was a pleasure meeting you, you have the most fascinating eyes, they are a special shade of brown." And with that, he was gone.

"Atobe." Fuji pulled the purple-haired man away from his newest dance partner, fixing him with a fierce stare. "Ah, Fuji. Don't tell ore-sama your time has come to turn back into a pumpkin, Cinderella. Things are just getting interesting. We didn't fly to America for a short night out." He looked the other boy up and down, "Besides, you need to let go Fuji-kun." "Perhaps another club will do then, Ato…" the blue-eyed boy paused as he listened to the song pulsing through the club, and a grim smile lit his face.

_Sweet dreams are made of this_

_Who am I to disagree?_

_Travel the world and the seven seas_

_Everybody's looking for something_

_Some of them want to use you_

_Some of them want to get used by you_

_Some of them want to abuse you_

_Some of them want to be abused_

"_How very appropriate." _Fuji chuckled, "I've changed my mind Keigo. I'd like to stay for a while longer." He gave the narcissist a chaste kiss and glided back towards the bar, humming along to the music. "Fuji Syuusuke…what an enigma you are to us all." Atobe muttered, as he turned back to his last dance partner and proceeded to pick up where they'd left off.

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**A/N: Short first chapter, I know. I'm really just setting up the scene. Normally I am not one for a clubbing Fuji Syuusuke, but I couldn't resist. More to follow soon, so the story has an actual point to it, I promise! Ideas or critiques would be appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

"I thought you had somewhere to be." The brunette girl said stiffly as Fuji returned to his seat at the bar, which had miraculously remained open despite the crowded club. "I changed my mind, something that is not unreasonable, you'd agree." The tensai flashed his stunning eyes at the girl again, drawing another amazed look from the girl. _"She has a similar reaction," _Fuji thought, _"I'm beginning to like this girl." _"Would you care to dance?" he inquired, sweeping her off the chair. After a moment of silence, he chuckled, "I take that to be a yes."

One dance quickly became two, which turned to three…eventually he'd lost count._ "She's so much like him," _Fuji observed_, "The stoic personality only I can crack open, those russet locks…albeit they're a bit more well managed, even her eyes, with their subtle sparks of gold…" _He grabbed the girl and pulled her into a rough, harsh kiss. She kissed back, fighting for control, never backing down. After pulling away, Fuji smirked, pulling the girl with him through the club to the exit, the words to the song fading away as they walked down the road to the hotel…

_Some of them want to use you_

_Some of them want to get used by you_

_Some of them want to abuse you_

_Some of them want to be abused_

The next morning, Fuji buttoned his shirt as he looked down at the still sleeping girl lying in bed. Shortly after, he pulled open the door, swiftly leaving the room as he pulled on his jacket. He smirked. With luck, the poor girl would wake up without memory of the entire event. _"Although, those bruises may be a nice reminder of the night."_ He added to himself, his smirk growing at the thought. As he glided through the lobby, he felt the gazes of the other guests fall on him in awe. Not one of them noticed the pained tint to his fierce eyes, the pain even Fuji himself neglected to acknowledge.

"Ah, Syuusuke, a good night I assume? Ore-sama was correct, a trip to the States was just what you needed." Atobe said, sipping coffee at the table in his lush penthouse suite as Fuji closed the door. "You were right, as always Keigo." The golden-haired boy floated over to his roommate, standing behind him and proceeding to twirl his chair around, "Now I just need my…finishing touches." He pulled the rich boy up and hungrily kissed him. "Now, now, Fuji," Atobe admonished, "You know the king does not take commands from anyone." He lightly nipped at the smaller boy's neck, as if to show the truth of his words. Fuji opened his mouth to reply, when the voice from the nearby television cut him off. "Japanese pro Tezuka Kunimitsu works towards his third title as the US Open commences this Saturday," the reporter announced, "Tezuka, any words on how you feel, anticipating this fierce medley of competi…"

Atobe hurriedly flicked the television off, as Fuji shattered the glass he had picked up. "He _doesn't_." Fuji spat angrily, "That dense fool has no feelings at all. Not pertaining to anything. Be it women, upcoming matches,…" _"You…" _Atobe thought, but wisely neglected to add. "_anything_. He is incapable of emotion." The small boy pulsated rage, and Atobe thought it wise to direct him to the bedroom, as it was the simplest way to calm him. True, he'd be sporting deep scratches and bruises by the time they were finished, but it was expected. Besides, Atobe Keigo would not be used without leaving his mark as well.

Hours later, Atobe rose to take a shower, leaving a panting Fuji to collect his thoughts. _"Hm…Keigo put up a fight this time. It was a welcome challenge." _Fuji thought as he heard the showerhead begin to stream water. _"If it weren't for that _imbecil, _Tezuka…" _his fists clenched, _"Why did you throw me away Kunimitsu?" _His eyes flew open, a tornado of emotions flying through them, each quicker than the next, _"Why didn't you care? You walked right past me, onto that plane, as if it were nothing. As if_ I _were nothing." _Hurt lingered in those cerulean orbs for a moment, clouded by anger,_ "Tennis cannot give you that much pleasure. You cannot play each and every match, live every single moment, and feel nothing for me. I _must _be there. Somewhere."_ He paused to reflect on himself, drawing a deep breath to calm down, _"I've spent all my days since then in the company of Keigo. He's a lovely distraction. So narcissistic, I can feed his ego while losing myself all at once. We both use each other, and we both know that. It's a wonderful game, bringing home new…trophies of a sort…while keeping one another company."_

He heard the water stop, and swung his legs over the side of the bed as a towel-clad Atobe emerged from the bathroom. "I saw the girl you were with last night, Syuusuke. Pretty thing. What was her name?" the boy inquired as he dried off. "No idea. I'd rather not think of her at the moment. She's too much like him." Fuji replied. "Haven't they all been lately?" Atobe answered, "Don't think ore-sama hasn't noticed your type. Punishing them does nothing to him you know. You'll never be satisfied with copies, you need to go after the real thing Fuji Syuusuke." Fuji pondered this a moment, before rising to head to the bathroom. "I'm awed by your prowess, Atobe," he said sarcastically, "But you may have a point. I've gotten quite good at this game, it's time for the real thing. Kunimitsu is in for a rude awakening Saturday. I'll need box seats of course." Fuji gave the other man a pointed look. "Of course ore-sama already has them." Atobe said as he pulled a pair of tickets out from a mahogany desk drawer. "Excellent." Fuji smiled, "Things just got very fun."

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**Viola! Chapter two! Now comes the sad part where I won't be able to write for a little while after tomorrow, due to a trip...but I'll try to get something up tomorrow at least! This thing is kinda making itself up as it goes along. I'm just riding the roller coaster of pointless writing, waiting for the point of the story to find its way into my mind. XD Well, we'll see how this turns out, ne?**


	3. Chapter 3

Saturday afternoon, Fuji walked swiftly through the crowd, Atobe sauntering next to him. "We are almost late Keigo," Fuji said sharply, "and I am a punctual person. I'd like to get there in time to settle in and watch the warm up. We'll see if that fool finds Djokovic worth playing seriously." _"If he hadn't had to take that ridiculous limo we would've been here much earlier." _he thought, "_although I can't complain much, he _did _buy the tickets." _Echoing his thoughts, Atobe stated "Ore-sama arrives in style, Syuusuke. If you wish, you can stay outside the gates and watch from there, although I'm not sure your little game would be as effective." "No matter," Fuji said as they reached the box, brushing away the discussion, "We're here now. And that's all that matters."

The first twenty minutes or so was spent watching the match in quiet. Perfectly positioned, Fuji could look right into Tezuka's eyes, sitting directly in front of the center of the court. Well, at least half of the match; the other half was spent staring at his back, scheming just how he would play his next move. "I'm impressed with the seats, Atobe. You've outdone yourself." He looked over at his companion, who was immersed in the match. "Pathetic, isn't it? The number three seed of the US Open cannot defeat my childhood rival. Perhaps ore-sama should've remained in the tennis scene as well, continued the rivalry into the pro circuit. God knows he could use the competition, rather than this mockery of a match." Atobe glanced down, watching the contrasting personalities of the stoic man and his comedian opponent. On the court, Djokovic poked fun at Tezuka's serious demeanor, seeming to not realize that he was indeed losing the match. "Now, now Keigo, we both know there isn't enough drama in the pro circuit for your taste. Besides, it's much more fun to cause mischief." And with that, the tensai pulled his friend into a deep, rough kiss.

Atobe, realizing Fuji's aim, returned the kiss, twisting his hands into the smaller boy's hair. After a moment, they pulled away. Fuji looked down at the court, where Tezuka was serving. The stoic pro bounced the ball, tossed, and served. "An ace. Of course. What else would be expected of the _almighty Tezuka_? " Fuji sulked, "Tezuka Kunimitsu, you will regret the day you ever broke my heart." Atobe looked around as his butler handed him a drink, thankful he had thought prior to the match to reserve the entire box as Fuji pulled him into another kiss, trailing kisses across his jaw and collarbone. "Game! Tezuka Kunimitsu leads four games to one!" the voice of the umpire echoed across the stadium. Fuji simply sat there and glared at the man down on the court.

"15-40! Break point!" _"Ah, perfect timing."_ Atobe thought as he turned to his companion, standing up before getting down on one knee. Fuji smiled, _"This is perfect. I'll owe Atobe, and he won't let me forget it of course, but it's worth it." _"Fuji Syuusuke," Atobe started, "Would you marry me?" The camera men in another box, noticing what was happening, zoomed in to where the two stood. The image of a seemingly ecstatic Fuji beaming down at an awed Atobe as he slid the glistening ring onto the honey-haired boy's slender finger appeared on the screen just as Tezuka served. "Fault! Second serve!" Fuji embraced his new fiancé, and they kissed as Tezuka served again. "Double Fault! Game Djokovic! Djokovic leads three games to two!" As the crowd erupted into applause for the newly engaged couple, the camera panned back to the match at hand. Fuji simply smirked and sat back down in his seat.

"Hm…apparently we're not very effective, Tezuka has managed to win two sets and is well on his way to a third." Fuji said, his eyes flashing in annoyance as he kissed Atobe once more. "Perhaps not, but we have managed the attention of a _different_ member of your old Seigaku clan…what's his name? Played back-up for that overly energetic redhead." Atobe said dismissively, tracing random patterns along Fuji's back. "That _overly energetic redhead _is Eiji Kikumaru, Keigo, and I would prefer you call him by name. As for Oishi, what are you talking abo…" Fuji stared into the box directly across the court, his eyes wide with disbelief. Sitting there, staring alternately in awe and disbelief at the match taking place and Fuji sitting in Atobe's lap, was none other than Oishi Syuichiro.

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**Finally! I'm back to my computer! I know it's kind of short, but this is me getting back into the story and the writing style. On the plus side, although I don't have it written yet, I have the main plot for the next bunch of chapters, and lots of free time to write it out with. So hopefully I'll be updating a lot to make up for the past week. Reviews as always are appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Atobe," Fuji said calmly, "why is Oishi here at Tezuka's match?" "Syuusuke, do not ask rhetorical questions. Unless you would like me to have someone find out for you…" Atobe left the offer open. "No, no, this is my business." He watched as the man rose to cheer for his old teammate, "Hm…he's sitting next to Tezuka's mother, in the seat normally reserved for his lover…and the two have always been close, you don't supposed, Keigo, that they could be…" "No. Of course not." Atobe answered, knowing that was the answer Fuji hoped to hear. He could tell that the idea had already planted itself in his mind however, and decided the best method was to simply act uninterested and watch the match.

"Game and match, Tezuka Kunimitsu! Final score six-one, six-three, seven-five!" As the umpire's voice faded away, Fuji watched Oishi as he scurried out of the box down to the players' locker-room, "That settles it. Obviously I underestimated Tezuka, I'll just have to visit him myself. I trust you can find where he's staying Atobe?" The purple-haired man snapped his fingers, and a servant placed a sheet of paper in his hand, "Of course ore-sama can. Tezuka Kunimitsu is currently staying in a private two-story house roughly ten minutes from here. The limo can take you." "No." Fuji said harshly, then lightened his tone, "I apologize Atobe, that was rather rude. I'd prefer to take a taxi however, it's less conspicuous." "Ore-sama will never understand the inconspicuous nature of you, Fuji Syuusuke, nor will I try. As you wish, a taxi will be waiting at the gates for you. I plan on attending the next match, so I meet you tonight at our usual club." "Alright, I will meet you there." Fuji said as he walked out of the box, "Wish me luck." "Fuji Syuusuke, you are the tensai of Japan," Atobe muttered as he watched Fuji leave, "you do not need luck, for you make your own."

Twenty minutes or so later, Fuji arrived at the address given to him moments ago. He deftly picked the lock and glided into the bedroom. Falling onto the soft bed, he sighed. _"Why must you make things so difficult Kunimitsu?" _he thought, anger and sadness warring for control, anger winning out. _"And _Oishi? _Really Tezuka, the mother of Seigaku?" _he chuckled darkly, _"Rather fitting, if you think about it. Tezuka is the founding father of sorts of Seigaku's tennis, of course he'd pair with its mother hen." _Fuji picked up a tennis ball that lay on the floor and flung it across the room. _"But if you can stay with _him, _then why did you leave me? Why did you throw away all that I gave you? Why aren't I _enough?" He gazed down at the ring adorning his hand, imagining it being placed there by a different owner. _"We could've had a future. You left me without a single word. No reason, no explanation. Granted, I didn't expect much, you're always so terse." _He glared at the spare tennis bag laying in the corner of the room, _"But I expected something! Now I learn I'm not a distraction, rather I wasn't good enough? Well you'll see what you've missed." _Downstairs the door slammed, and Fuji heard the distinct footsteps of Tezuka as he walked up to the bedroom.

If Tezuka was surprised to find Fuji laying on his bed, he didn't show it. He simply placed his bag in a chair, and moved to the bathroom to take a shower. As he showered, Fuji saw a playbill sticking out of the corner of the desk, and moved to pick it up. _"Ah, Carmen._ _One of Atobe's better ideas for us to go see it performed. It's such a powerful opera. I'm surprised it was to your taste Tezuka, you never were one for theatrics. " _He slid it back into the desk drawer, sitting back down on the bed as Tezuka emerged from the shower. "Tezuka Kunimitsu. It's been quite a long time." Fuji said casually as he stretched out along the bed. "Sodane." Tezuka replied, drying his hair with a fluffy white towel, his back turned to his companion. Fuji stood, putting his hands on the taller boy's shoulders and spinning him so they would be face to face. "Kunimitsu, do you still love me?" Fuji asked bluntly, in a tone that stressed the seriousness of the question without sounding needy. Tezuka merely stared at Fuji, not knowing how to answer. They had not spoken since the day he'd left, almost three years ago, and here stands his old lover, asking if he still loves him. Fuji continued, "Not that it matters. Love is a rebellious bird that nothing can tame. And even if you don't love me, I might still love you. If I love you…" he opened his eyes, staring into Tezuka's with unfathomable intensity, "…watch out.*"

Tezuka looked at Fuji sternly, "Carmen, Fuji? Really? You've always been dramatic, but this is a bit much." Fuji glared at the stoic man, "I rather enjoyed that show. Atobe and I attended just last week, and I find Carmen to be quite an intriguing character. She knows what she wants." Tezuka stared at his old lover, "She let her guard down, and it got her killed. But I assume you're not here to talk about an opera, Fuji." Fuji clenched and unclenched his fists, then let out a deep breath, his ice blue eyes shimmering with a mixture of sadness and confusion, clouded over by anger, "You're correct of course, Tezuka. You always could see through my games. Then perhaps you can tell me why I'm here." "I never saw through those games, Fuji. I merely recognized they were just that. But I've never seen the real you. All that which went on in the box this afternoon, that was another game. I want to hear from _you, _Fuji Syuusuke. Not all these facades you put up." Tezuka, calm as ever, picked up a bottle of water from his bedside table and took a long swig. The smaller boy wanted nothing more than to fling the bottle across the room, and he did just that, "Do you honestly think you _deserve_ to see the real me? I haven't heard one _word_ from you since the day you got on that plane. No explanation, no breakup, _nothing. _It was if to you I did not exist." He walked over to the bed where the taller man sat and pushed him down, "Besides, the _real _Fuji is gone. He left the moment you turned your back on us. On me." Fuji turned to leave, walking towards the stairs. "It was impossible Syuusuke." Tezuka said gently, standing and placing a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. Fuji whirled around, piercing Tezuka's heart with his eyes, "In case you haven't noticed, Tezuka, you and I are pretty capable when it comes to the impossible. Or was it impossible because it was me? You don't seem to have a problem balancing tennis and Oishi, even though you would always put tennis before me. He seems to be the type who can deal with that. But don't throw _impossible _around like it's an excuse. You just didn't want to try. And I'm sick of it." With that, he shrugged Tezuka's hand off, and stormed down the stairs.

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**I'm so glad to be back! I'm working on more chapters, they're going up as quickly as I can get them out of my head and tidy them up. Oh, some questions were brought up in the reviews! As for the various characters who will show up, I currently know of one who will arrive sometime soon, as for any others, that all depends on what my head decides to come up with! XD So a good answer would be I'm not sure, we'll just have to wait and see. And as for other stories, yaoi or non-yaoi, I'd love to write some, and I'd love any plots or characters you'd like to throw my way! So if you have any specific ideas for my next story, lemme hear them and i'll see what I can whip up. Reviews are wonderful things to get, I love to hear opinions, critiques, etc!**


	5. Chapter 5

"Ah, there you are Fuji." Atobe said over the pounding music, his arm wrapped around the waist of a slim blonde girl. The honey-haired boy ignored him, going to sit at the bar and irritably ordering a drink. Atobe shrugged and went back to dancing, leaving Fuji to his thoughts. Obviously, things had not gone as planned earlier that afternoon.

"_That stupid…how does he do that? Why do I have to love him?" _Fuji downed one drink, and then waved at the bartender for another. His anger was quickly giving way to the misery he'd worked so hard to block out, _"He's the only one who can make me feel like this. I thought I was over it. I _hate _him. But I don't. Curse you Tezuka Kunimitsu, and your capability to draw these miserable feelings out of me._" Another drink down, Fuji reached for a third. _"Am I not good enough for you? What does Oishi Syuichiro have that I do not? Just because you thought that I wasn't as motivated as he in tennis all those years ago…is that it? It's always been about tennis hasn't it? I am selfish, I want you to put me before tennis. But we see where that got me." _Fuji reached for a forth drink, as his cell phone rang. A number he didn't recognize flashed on the screen, and he headed towards the door to pick it up. "Hello?" the tensai asked tentatively, "Who is this?" "Fuji, I want a chance to explain." "Why should I Tezuka? I'm tired of this. You obviously only care about your career, and that's not enough for me. Why should I give you a chance to explain to me why you left me so abruptly? You didn't even bother to tell me you were leaving. I wouldn't have been at the airport if Eiji hadn't heard from Oishi earlier that morning. Why give you the opportunity to hurt me more?" Fuji twisted a strand of hair around his finger absentmindedly, fighting to control his voice. All the venom and hatred from earlier had drained him, leaving the broken man to struggle with this conversation. Tezuka took note of this, "Fuji, you can't block me out forever. You need answers as much as I need to give them." "Actually, I was doing just fine until I heard you were here in New York." Fuji fought to put an icy edge to the words, to regain his façade. "Just a chance, Syuu…" "Do _not _call me that." Fuji snapped, his wall back up, "How did you get my number anyway?" "I got it from Oishi, who…" *click* Fuji hung up, not wanting to hear any more. _"I believe it's time for me to go back to the apartment. I'll have one of Keigo's servants notify him when I get back." _As he walked down the street, pulling his collar up to shield him from the growing wind, a streetlight caught the lone tear that streaked down the face of Fuji Syuusuke, making it glimmer in the darkness.

The next morning, Fuji and Atobe sat together at the kitchen table, nursing cups of coffee. Neither had started a conversation, and Fuji merely sat there with a defeated look on his face. Any vengeance he'd held the night before for his old lover had burned out, leaving the heartbroken boy behind. _"It's amazing to think that one conversation with Tezuka reduced Fuji Syuusuke to this." _Atobe thought as he gently placed his hand on top of the other boy's, and started to speak, "Apparently, Tezuka is a bit better at this game than you, Syuusuke. You seem to have too much invested in its outcome." Fuji looked up at his friend, his eyes reflecting his weary and broken state, "I just need a few moments, Keigo, I'll be fine. I'm not finished with that man yet. There were just some unforeseen circumstances. Now that I know what I'm dealing with, I can win." "Ah, ore-sama knows you are determined Fuji. I have no doubt you'll find a way to turn this to your advantage. But what is winning? What's the end result?" Fuji ignored the questions, taking a long sip of his coffee before standing, "I think I'll take a walk, gather my thoughts. Play the role of tourist for a while and see the sights."

"_Atobe is right, I have much too much invested in this game, with a blurred concept for the final outcome." _Fuji walked through the crowd of people, not taking in any of the sights around him, immersed in his thoughts, _"But whenever I'm around Kunimitsu…he brings me back. It's as if he holds the key to me. As if I'm lost without him. But I'm stronger without him. I can fight for myself, without feeling the hurt or pain." _But even as he thought it, he recognized the lie he was telling himself. The pain was still there, even with Tezuka out of sight, he merely refused to acknowledge its existence. _"I haven't even picked up a racket since he left, because it brought back the memories of our time together…of the last time he asked about the _real _Fuji. Doesn't he understand that it's he who has it? He has my heart, and with it my true self. I'm not complete without him." _He shook his head, _"But he's with Oishi now. And as much as I cannot bear the thought, perhaps it's for the best. Things can go back to the way they were before we saw each other yesterday." _Fuji stopped suddenly, causing the person behind him to bump into him. He turned to apologize, and upon seeing who it was, smiled his first genuine smile in quite some time.

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**Hm...now who could the mystery person be? Well, we'll have to wait and see while I work on the next chapter. I'll work on some more chapters asap and get them out to you! Review are always appreciated :)**


	6. Chapter 6

"Fujiko!" the man yelled, wrapping the tensai in a bear hug. Fuji chuckled, "Eiji. How are you? It's been a while. I see you finally got rid of the bandage." The redhead stepped back, a huge grin plastered to his face, "Oh that old thing? I was just superstitious. It was my good luck charm." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I had to wear it the first day of tennis practice, you know, because I'd fallen and gotten scraped up earlier. Afterwards I was always afraid that if I didn't wear it we'd start playing poorly and losing, and I couldn't have that, nya!" Fuji smiled at the childish mannerism. Apparently Eiji hadn't completely kicked all his old habits, but that was what made him Eiji. "Fuji, have you _seen _this place?" Eiji motioned to the sight around them, all the billboards adorning Times Square, "It's so _bright, _nya! And the subways crack me up. I keep thinking about how I would've loved to do all kinds of tricks on the handrails when we were younger…but what are you doing here Fujiko?" "Oh, a little of this, a little of that. I came over to the states with Atobe for a vacation of sorts." Fuji replied. Eiji wrinkled his nose in disgust, causing Fuji to laugh, "I know you were never one to like Hyotei, Eiji, but Atobe is alright. He's good company. But anyway, why are you here? It's quite amazing for us to bump into each other in a city this crowded." Eiji grinned wider, "Oh! I came to see…" he trailed off, the initial surprise of the meeting wearing off as he got a good look at his friend, "Fuji…what's wrong? You're different somehow…like you're upset about something." Fuji's smile faltered; Eiji always was the one, well apart from Tezuka, who could tell when something was bothering him. "Oh, it's nothing Eiji." Seeing the pointed look he was earning, comically out of place on the normally happy man's face, he asked, "How often do you keep in touch with Oishi nowadays?" Eiji cocked his head to the side, confused by the question, "We talk every day Fuji, how come?" "Does he talk about Tezuka often to you?" Fuji asked, earning another confused look. "Fuji…you're not making any sense. What's with these questions? Yes, Oishi talks about Tezuka, they see each other quite often. They're actually here in New York right now, so that Oishi can…." "Has Oishi told you that they're dating?" Fuji cut off the redhead, asking bluntly.

Eiji stared at his friend for a solid minute, before erupting into laughter. Fuji opened his eyes, anger flashing through them, causing the energetic man to fall silent and jump back. "Geez Fujiko! Don't do that, you know it freaks me out, nya!" Eiji put his hands up, surrendering. "Then kindly explain just what you find so funny about my question, Eiji." Fuji said coolly. "It's funny because you can't be serious Fuji!" Eiji looked at his friend funnily, "Oishi can't be dating Tezuka…because he's dating _me." _

Fuji stared at his friend, a look of shock on his face. "Oh, come on Fujiko, you had to know that one. Oishi and I were inseparable from the day we became doubles partners, is it really such a surprise to hear we're together?" Eiji waved a hand in front of his friend's face, "Fuji…you alright?" Fuji closed his eyes, a small smile appearing on his face, "Of course I'm not surprised Eiji, I can imagine you and Oishi make a lovely couple. I was just under the impression Oishi was with Tezuka." Eiji laughed again, "Oishi and Tezuka? Why would you think tha…oh, because I said they see each other so much? Fujiko, the reason they see each other so often is because Oishi is Tezuka's medical trainer! For a tensai, you sure were off the mark with that one." Fuji's eyes flashed angrily again, causing the redhead to shudder. "Stop it Fuji, nya!" the redhead jumped onto the honey-haired boy after Fuji started to laugh. "I'm sorry Eiji, I couldn't resist. You know I couldn't let that comment go unpunished." He twisted out of the acrobat's grip, "So…his medical trainer, hm?" Eiji gave him a 'duh' look, "Well, who better? He's always been a worrywart, and his uncle _did _take care of Tezuka in middle school…it's kinda become the family job. He knows Tezuka's previous injuries better than anyone, except for you…hey, whatever happened between you and Tezuka? You said you were here with Atobe, have you gone to see any of the matches?" At that moment the sun came out from behind the clouds, the beams of light reflecting off of Fuji's hand, catching the redhead's attention.

"Whoa! What is that, Fuji? You're _engaged_? Why didn't you tell me? Who is it…is it Atobe? You _can't _marry Atobe, Fujiko, you just can't, nya! Please tell me it's not Atobe, please! I'll just…" "Eiji!" Fuji shouted, shocking the acrobat out of his rant, "I'm not engaged." "But that ring…" "It was just a trick. It's not real; at least, the engagement is not." Fuji replied. "Why? What do you need a fake engagement for Fuji? That doesn't make any sense." Eiji shook his head, grabbing Fuji's hand to examine the ring. Fuji sighed, "You asked earlier what happened between Tezuka and me, Eiji. Why don't we go back to wherever you're staying, so we'll have some privacy, and I'll tell you all about it."

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**Welcome to the chaos, Kikumaru-san! I couldn't leave him out, can't you just see Eiji running around Times Square, fascinated by all the lights? Anyway, I'm currently working on more chapters, so we'll see how this little meeting plays out. Reviews are always awesome motivation to post more chapters :) **


	7. Chapter 7

An hour or so later, Fuji had finally finished explaining everything, resulting in a wailing Kikumaru Eiji wrapping his arms around his friend. "Waa! That is so cruel of Tezuka-buchou, Fujiko! How could he not even tell you he was leaving? If I'd had any idea that you didn't know before I'd told you, I would've…but he really didn't say _anything_? How come, nya? Grr…Tezuka-buchou can be so mean sometimes, I wanna just yell at him, Fuji!" Fuji chuckled sadly at his friend's antics, "You don't have to call him buchou any more, Eiji, he's your friend, not your captain. And I believe I've done enough yelling for the both of us, but thank you for the sentiment. As for why he left so abruptly, I wish I knew Eiji." He looked down, uncomfortable with showing this much emotion to his old friend. He'd always been the one to help Oishi take care of Eiji, he was the strong one who didn't need support. Even if Eiji could figure out something was wrong, Fuji always managed to downplay it so that he would soon forget; so it was foreign to show this hurt to anyone. Atobe was more than enough, he didn't need everyone knowing how screwed up he was. Eiji hugged his friend tighter, sensing his discomfort, "Fuji, you know you can talk to me. You and Oishi always baby me too much; I'm stronger than you think, nya! …let me cover for you for a while Fujiko." Fuji smiled weakly at the redhead, "Arigatou, Eiji. I just always wonder why things happened the way they did. Why Tezuka didn't want me to follow him, was I not good enough…" he trailed off, the words he'd so dreaded to share finally coming out into the open. Eiji gave the honey-haired boy an incredulous look, "Fujiko, of _course _you're good enough! If Tezuka can't see what an amazing guy you are, then he's just a big dummy, nya!" Even completely drowning in misery, Fuji found a small smile creeping upon his face at the energetic man's statement. Eiji's childish antics always made even the worst ordeals seem less intimidating; his innocence brought out the best in everything. "Eiji…arigatou."

**Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Eiji jumped up to see who it was. "Oishi!" he shouted as he jumped into the taller man's arms, "But…how did you know I was here, nya?" Oishi chuckled, dropping the redhead onto his feet as he replied, "Inui, as always, has all our data. He called me last night to let me know I should expect a visit from you. How was your flight? Did you find your way here alright?" "Mou…I was going to surprise you…" Eiji pouted, "I should call Inui right now…but what if he makes me drink more of that juice?" he paled, "Oh well! You're here now, and that's all that matters!" Still sitting on the couch, Fuji let out a soft cough to make his presence known. "Oh yeah! Gomen, gomen Fujiko! Oishi, Fuji's here!" Eiji bounced over to the couch, plopping down beside Fuji, pulling Oishi down next to him. "I see that Eiji…It's been a while Fuji, how are you?" Oishi asked cautiously, images of the match from the other day flashing through his mind, "Congratulations on the engagement, I never pictured you and Atobe together to be honest." Eiji grimaced, "He's _not _with Atobe, Oishi!" Oishi gave Fuji a confused look, and Fuji explained further, "The engagement was a fake. Atobe and I thought it would be an interesting trick to play." Oishi nodded thoughtfully, "Tezuka was right then…" Eiji nervously looked at Fuji, who kept his eyes hidden as he calmly stated, "So Tezuka knew that day was just another game. That's good to know." Seeing the question in Oishi's eyes, he added, "I'll let Eiji explain it to you, I should probably go, and let you two enjoy each other's company." As he was headed to the door, he heard Oishi call his name, and turned to see the man with a small package in his hand. "Fuji, I don't know what's happened between you and Tezuka, or what is happening between you and Atobe for that matter. But Tezuka asked me to make sure this got to you somehow, it seemed like he thought you wouldn't accept it if he delivered it in person. So please take it." Oishi said, placing the package in Fuji's hand. "Arigatou." Fuji replied simply as he turned, opened the door, and headed back towards the apartment.**

"_Even after three years he knows me well." _Fuji thought as he began to make his way back to the apartment,_ "I couldn't refuse to take it from Oishi, because he would simply worry about it, and Eiji would pester me to take it. If it were merely Tezuka and myself, I wouldn't have to answer the door; I don't think I'm quite ready for that to be honest. But what do I do…what kind of reaction will this bring? I don't think I can handle much more emotional whiplash like this…I was thrown off enough by the mere presence of him. How could I have known that all my anger, the three years of building a wall, would crumble into nothing after one conversation with him?" _Fuji absentmindedly flipped the package in his hand, curious as to its contents, _"He's been right all along. I can't shut him out forever, I need the answers. I need to know why I wasn't enough for him. Is this…is this the key to all of that?" _

Fuji closed the door to Atobe's apartment, thankful he was alone. Atobe had left him a message, scrawling in his large ornate handwriting, "Ore-sama is making appearances at our usual club, join me if you'd like, Fuji Syuusuke." Fuji had immediately thrown the paper away; he wasn't in the mood to go clubbing tonight. He walked slowly to the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed before sitting the small square package next to him. After examining it for a long while, curiosity eventually got the best of the tensai, and he began to tear away the crisply folded plain brown wrapping from the package. _"Funny how his style is so clear even in the way he wraps a package, simple and clean." _He acknowledged as he tore away the last of the paper, staring down at the object in his hands: a plain CD case, containing what appeared to be a blank CD and a slip of paper. Not knowing what to expect, Fuji slid the sheet of paper out of the case, a second, more worn piece fluttered to the floor, hidden behind the first. _"Hm…old or new?" _Fuij pondered, bending to pick up the fallen sheet, _"If I know Tezuka still, then I know which piece to choose." _He unfolded the newer note, gently laying the other back onto the bed, and began to read.

"_Fuji. I expect you've chosen this note to read first, as intended. There's some business I need to attend to, some things I've done in the past I'm not particularly proud of. Let me apologize, at the time I thought it was for the best. I was afraid, for the first time in a long while, I will admit I felt fear about taking the next step: bringing you with me. I was unsure then what I wanted, I thought tennis would be first and foremost in my life, and was hesitant to consider other options. When I left, I believed a clean break would be best. No goodbyes, no time to reconsider, I would live my life and you would live yours. But you have always been with me, no matter where I traveled I couldn't leave you behind. I took comfort in my assumption that you had moved on, that you were happy without me; if I'd had any notion of how wrong I was, of the pain you were in, trust me when I say I would've been there in a moment. I deeply apologize Fuji; whether you choose to accept it is up to you. As for this CD, it is actually quite old, three years, made just before I left you. I contemplated giving it to you when I left, before making my decision for a clean break. I'd like for you to listen to it, though I understand if you don't. You asked me a question the day you visited; you asked me whether or not I still loved you. The answer to that question I've always known, but never admitted to myself until now; my answer is yes, I love you Fuji Syuusuke. You hold my heart, more so than anyone or anything else ever could. I'm not asking for a second chance, I just wanted to give you the explanation you so deserve. The next move is yours, do as you desire, and I will accept it. Before I end this, I must repeat: I love you, Syuusuke. _

_Tezuka Kunimistu"_

**Gomen, gomen! I've had this typed, I've just been lazy and haven't put it up yet. I promise I'll get to work on the rest, and post more ASAP. **


	8. Chapter 8

Fuji carefully refolded the note and laid it beside him on the bed, an unreadable expression on his face. He calmly reached for the older note, along with the CD, opening the case and sliding the CD into the stereo beside the bed. As he proceeded to unfold the second note, the CD began to play, a soft, almost-pop-style song filling the room. The words of the music mixed with the words on the page as Fuji began to read.

_natsu ga mou owaru nara_

_kimi ga iikaketa nani ka ga_

_nami ni kieta _

_yagate kuru tasogare ni_

_kimi wo miushina wa nai you ni_

_jikan wo tometa_

"_Syuusuke, I am leaving to pursue my career as a professional. Tennis is my life, and I feel an obligation to myself and my family to continue on to the next level. But I am telling you in this way because I cannot bring you with me yet. Wait, Fuji, and one day we can come together again. I will bring you with me in…"_

_I LOVE YOU_

The note fluttered to the floor, as the blue-eyed boy sitting on the bed froze. After sitting there for a long while, the tensai slowly blinked, and thoughts rapidly flowed through him, _"Seeing it in writing, I couldn't bring myself to believe it…but his voice…I've waited so long to hear those words come from that voice…Those words make me feel everything, and at the same time, nothing. I have no reaction, I don't know how to react…happiness, sadness, love, pain, anger, ecstasy…it's all there. Those words bring so many memories, the first time I heard those words, all of our moments spent together…" _ Fuji tuned back into the song, listening again:

_futari de aruku toki ni wa_

_itsudemo migigawa ni iru_

_tsutawaru nukumori ga aru ah..._

_"I…I know this song." _He realized, beginning to hum along as it reached its end, then began to play again, _"I've heard it before, many times." _Fuji smiled as a memory arose, _"Tezuka…you were in the shower, and I caught you humming a tune. I teased you mercilessly, you're always so serious, who would imagine you of all people would hum in the shower? At the same time, that voice, it mesmerized me. I wanted, no, _needed_ to hear it again, so I picked on you, constantly asking you to sing to me what it was that you were humming. You, of course, always refused. But yet I heard it again, and again. Always when we were alone, whenever you thought I couldn't hear you. I remember pretending to sleep many times just to hear this song. If I'd known then what you were saying, what that song meant…you idiot Kunimitsu. Only you could come up with a way of saying _I love you _without saying it directly. To record it though, for me to hear?" _Fuji smiled at the thought and reached down to pick the note back up, pressing the stop button on the stereo before continuing.

_"I will bring you with me in the future. Fuji Syuusuke, yudan sezu ni iko. I love you. _

_Tezuka Kunimitsu"_

Fuji sat on the edge of the bed for a long while, picking up both the older and newer notes and rereading them time and time again. After a while he realized the CD had stopped playing, and that he must've turned it off without thinking about it, because the CD was back in its case. A particular line caught his eye every time he read it, _"'The next move is yours, do as you desire, and I will accept it.'" _Fuji thought to himself, _"As if we're playing a match, and it's my serve. He may just as well have said the ball's in my court. But what if I don't want you to accept it, Kunimitsu? Suppose I want you to fight back, just as you fight to win when we're playing tennis. Sa…only you are capable of confusing me like this." _He reached for the cell phone laying on the bedside table, _"Well, Kunimitsu, it's my move, and I'm about to send the ball back to you." _

After three rings, Fuji's call was connected, "Moshi Moshi" the tensai said. "Fuji." The stoic man on the other side of the phone replied. "I received your letters Kunimitsu." Fuji said, uncomfortable with the formalness of the conversation. _"Since when have we ever been so serious when talking to one another?" _Fuji thought. "And…" Tezuka asked simply. "And…I love you too Kunimitsu." Fuji answered. There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment, and Fuji imagined his old friend as stoic as ever, with the slightest upturn of his lips into a smile, so subtle sometimes Fuji believed he imagined it. "I don't expect you to forgive me, Fuji." He finally replied. "And I didn't say that I did. I may never if you keep calling me Fuji, Kunimitsu. If you love me as much as you claim to, you could at least start calling me Syuusuke again." Fuji said, a playful tone in his voice, his eyes sparkling. He then took on a more serious expression, "However, we have a problem." The honey-haired boy took his old lover's silence to be a question, and continued, "You see, I do not settle for second place, and with you tennis has always been first and foremost in your life." He heard Tezuka start to interrupt, and hastily continued, "I'm not finished yet, Kunimitsu. I know in your note you told me that you had learned of your mistake. And that you'd assured me that I would be first. But you left me for three years. And no matter how good your intentions were, that hurt me. I told you a moment ago that I hadn't forgiven you yet, which is true. I don't feel as if I can fully trust you yet, you've left me once, I'm not strong enough to deal with you leaving me again." "Fuji…Syuusuke. What can I do to fix this?" Tezuka asked. "What I need now is time, Mitsu. I need you to keep in touch with me, and make the effort to gain back my trust. I want to get back to where we were before this all happened, but it's going to take time to repair that bond. We can start off as friends, maybe eventually we'll begin to go out again, but for now let's be just friends. Perhaps after this tournament is over, we can even play a game or two to keep you in shape for the next one." Fuji answered, grimacing at the thought of how rusty he would be after not having played in so long. _"Perhaps Atobe will do me the favor of playing a match with me to warm my form back up_."The tensai thought as he waited for Tezuka's answer. "I understand. I've always told you not to let your guard down, so it is not a surprise you feel this way." Was Tezuka's reply, "But I have a request, as a friend." Fuji, who had been lying on the bed during the conversation, sat up in interest, "hai?" "I would like for you to come to the finals match of the US Open this weekend. Bring Atobe if you'd like." Tezuka said. "…..I'd like that Kunimitsu. Thank you." Fuji replied, a soft smile on his face. "Oh, Syuusuke, I do have a condition though." Tezuka said. "Hn? What is it?" Fuji asked. "At this match, if you do bring Atobe, please refrain from making out with him this time. It's rather distracting." Tezuka replied bluntly, but Fuji could just imagine the slight blush on his face. "I knew it worked!" Fuji sang triumphantly. "What worked?" Tezuka asked. Fuji blanched, letting Tezuka know how hard he'd tried to get noticed was not part of the plan, "Oh, nothing, I'll see you at the match Kunimitsu." He replied playfully, smirking as he hung up the phone.

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**Gomen, gomen! I know I said I'd post ASAP, and this is most definitely not ASAP. But I lost my inspiration for the story for a while, so rather than try to continue writing for the sake of getting it out here, I figured I would wait until I could get back into the swing of things. I've also been working on another piece too, but hopefully I'm back for good so I can finish out the story. Sorry again! **


	9. Chapter 9

After hanging up, Fuji laid on the bed a while longer, contemplating just how he felt at the change of events. _"I'm no longer bitter; I've finally gotten my answer as to why he left me…but that pain is still there. I wish I could trust you Kunimitsu, it would make things so much simpler. If I knew that I would be first in your life, we could go back to how things were before, but right now…I feel so vulnerable." _Fuji let out a frustrated sigh, _"I hate feeling vulnerable, weak. It's ridiculous. But I can't just take him back. I guess for now we wait and see where this takes us." _

The honey-haired boy spent the next few days as normally as possible, or rather, attempting to determine just what normal was for him. The past three years had been a colorful blur of clubs, drinks, and hook-ups to block out the pain of losing Tezuka, so now that they were friends again he was not quite sure what a normal day consisted of, much less a normal day in New York. So Fuji settled for what he knew, tennis and photography. He called Tezuka a time or two, asking if the pro could use some practice before the final. Hitting with Tezuka reminded Fuji of how he'd felt back before everything fell apart, of just how natural their relationship had been. It quickly regrew, the time before and after matches filled with simple yet comfortable conversation. Yet that hole was still there for Fuji, he could not completely trust his old friend just yet. But their time together also reminded the honey-haired boy how much he enjoyed tennis. Their matches were intense, the tensai quickly regaining all his lost ground, but it wasn't enough to beat Tezuka. _"You've gotten better, Kunimitsu." _Fuji thought one day after a match, _"But I'll beat you eventually." _

One day he called up Eiji and Oishi, offering to take pictures of the two of them around the city if they'd like. Eiji literally jumped at the opportunity, dragging Oishi all over Times Square and Central Park to take pictures. Fuji smiled at the happy couple, subtly distracting Eiji whenever he brought up Fuji's own relationship with Tezuka. For some reason, Fuji didn't feel like sharing just yet. The two were best friends again, but he wasn't quite ready for all the relationship advice that was sure to come from his energetic friend. He figured Oishi already knew, or would find out, but was sure that Oishi wouldn't tell Eiji. Oishi always was good at keeping out of others' business. Later that week, Atobe, sensing the change in Fuji, suggested they see an opera or two, and check out the more prestigious aspects of New York. "After all, Ore-sama is involved in only the best, and it would be a shame to come all this way without indulging ourselves in the finest restaurants and musical performances, would it not?" the purple-haired boy had said to the tensai. Fuji had smirked at the suggestion; obviously Atobe was tiring of the all-night clubbing as well, which explained why he wasn't being dramatic about the change of plans for the week. Fuji had already informed Atobe that they would be going to watch the finals match that weekend, as a guest of Tezuka. At that, Atobe raised an eyebrow, but Fuji shook his head, "Hi-mit-su" and smiled cryptically.

Finally the weekend arrived, and Fuji, much to his chagrin, awoke feeling somewhat anxious about the match. _"This is strange, being on the other side. I feel like I should have just finished a match before he plays, as his teammate rather than a spectator." _The blue-eyed boy thought as he got dressed. Afterwards, as he sat at the table with his coffee cup, Atobe walked into the kitchen, "Fuji Syuusuke, are you ready for the limo to take us?" Seeing Fuji about to protest, he continued, "It is the finals match, Syuusuke, surely you do not expect ore-sama to arrive in anything else?" Fuji smiled at the other man, his eyes closed to hide his frustration, "Of course not, Atobe, it would be senseless to believe otherwise. You'll have to excuse me though, I feel like taking the subway if it's of no issue to you." Atobe scoffed, "Do as you wish, but the offer still stands." As he walked off, Fuji heard the dramatic man muttering, "The subway, honestly." causing him to smirk. "Well, it looks as if it is time to leave." Fuji said to no one in particular as he grabbed his coat and headed out the door.

No sooner had he closed the door behind him than Eiji pulled him into a hug. "Fujiko, nya! How come you didn't tell me you were going to sit with us today? Does this mean things between you and Tezuka are all better now? Are you going to quit hanging out with Atobe? Why didn't you call me, I saw Oishi give you something from Tezuka, what was it, nya? Fujiko, why are you…" "Eiji! Eiji, calm down." Fuji said with a small chuckle, interrupting the energetic redhead's stream of questions, "Why don't you walk with me to the subway, I'll explain everything on the way there." They began their decent down the stairs and Fuji started, "But first, I have a question. How did you know where I was?" Eiji bounced down the stairs, flipping off the last three and landing on the floor, "Oishi asked Tezuka for me, nya. Tezuka said you were staying with Atobe, so I knew I just had to find the flashiest apartment in the city." Eiji chuckled as Fuji shot him a glance, "Kidding, kidding. But I really did hear that from Tezuka. So I just had Oishi call Inui to confirm, and he gave me your address!" Fuji smiled again, "Ah, of course, Inui. He really does keep tabs on us, that's not surprising. Although if he still knows everything about me, he should send me some more of his concoctions, provided he's still making them." Eiji paled, "You've got to be joking, Fujiko, nya." "Why would I do that? Wouldn't you like to try some?" Fuji replied, a mischievous glint in his now open eyes. Eiji swallowed nervously, followed by a nervous chuckle, "You're still as sadistic as always, Fuji. But you're avoiding the subject, nya." The two proceeded down the street to the nearest subway, which was a ways away from the apartment. "Oh yes, that. In the order that you asked, I didn't tell you because I figured I would surprise you, things between Tezuka and myself…I'll explain more on that in a moment, no Eiji I am not going to quit hanging out with Atobe, as I've said before, he's quite good company, and as for what Oishi gave me from Tezuka, it was…" the two froze as they heard a loud horn honk at them, and they quickly turned to see a taxi-cab coming towards them. Too late, they realized they'd been so engrossed in conversation that they'd ignored the "Do Not Cross" sign at the intersection. Fuji froze, unable to do anything but stare in shock at the car speeding towards him.

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**Hm...not really anything to say here, except I'll put the next chapter up soon! Oh and if anyone would like to give any suggestions for chapter titles, I'm open to suggestions. I know "Chapter 9" has such a brilliant ring to it, but if we find something that fits better...well, I'll see how it goes.**


	10. Chapter 10

"Fuji! Fujiko! Wake up Fuji!" the honey-haired boy heard, and he opened his eyes only to wince at the brightness and close them again. He slowly sat up and winced again as his head began to spin. "Fuji, you're awake! I'm so sorry I didn't help you Fujiko, I thought you would move, but you just froze there, so when I jumped out of the way and realized you didn't too I felt so…whoa!" Fuji felt arms around him easing him back down onto the bed, so that he was once more lying down. _"Now that's strange, why am I so dizzy?" _Fuji thought, coughing, _"And why does my chest feel like lead?"_ he wondered, before asking softly for someone to please turn off the lights.

After he heard the click of the light switch, Fuji tried to open his eyes again, just the tiniest bit. Looking around, he realized he was in a hospital room. "What happened?" the tensai asked, observing his surroundings. "You were hit by a taxi-cab, Syuusuke. You're lucky your injuries aren't worse." A stern voice said. Fuji turned towards the voice, memories rushing back, "Oh yeah…" he chuckled, "I guess Eiji and I need to quit letting our guard down, ne Tezuka? Wait a moment…I was hit on my way to the subway station to come see your match," his ice blue eyes flashed, "so what are you doing here? Don't tell me you threw the finals of the US Open on my account." "Syuusuke, I've told you already, tennis is second to you now. I never would've forgiven myself if you'd…" "Tezuka Kunimitsu!" the smaller boy shouted, shooting up and causing himself to wince again as Oishi and Eiji rushed to calm him back down.

He then lowered his voice, which then gained a dangerous edge to it as he glared at his friend, "I am perfectly fine, thank you very much. Your missing your match on my part was completely unnecessary." Fuji's eyes softened, "Although I am grateful to you for keeping your promise to me. You giving up the finals for me does show that you're willing to put me above tennis." "I'd assume that means you believe me now, but with you it's never that easy." Tezuka said stoically as he filled a cup with water, handing it to the bed-ridden boy. Fuji grinned, nodding in thanks as he took the cup, "Well, it's certainly a start. But you have three years to make up for Kunimitsu, missing one tennis match won't let you off the hook, even if it is the finals of a major."

"Che." The two looked over towards the door, where the sound had come from. They noticed that Oishi and Eiji had slipped out at some point, probably to give the former captain and his best friend some time alone. But thoughts of the golden pair stopped as they recognized the short, black-haired boy standing in the doorway.

"Mada mada dane, Fuji-sempai." The cocky boy said, tilting the brim of his Fila cap to cover his eyes as he leaned against the doorframe, Ponta in hand, "You really should pay more attention at the cross-walks." "Sa, Echizen, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you here to New York?" the tensai asked calmly. "Echizen, what are you doing here?" Tezuka asked, before Ryoma had a chance to reply to Fuji. Ryoma gave him a smirk, "You didn't think I was really going to take a win off a forfeit, did you? Mada mada dane, Tezuka-buchou." Fuji, surprisingly quick on the uptake despite his condition, replied, "Ah, so you were the one scheduled to play Kunimitsu in the finals. I assume your theatrics were enough to delay the entire match?" "We're playing as soon as the two of us return to the courts." Ryoma replied to them both, causing Fuji to chuckle. "Sometimes you are right up there with Keigo as far as drama is concerned, Echizen." he said, earning a glare from the younger boy. "I'm going to head on back. Get well soon Fuji-sempai." Ryoma replied quickly, turning and heading out the door.

Tezuka, upon hearing the door click that signaled Echizen's exit, looked at Fuji lying in the bed, "I can't…" "Oh just go already Kunimitsu," Fuji said exasperatedly, "for both our sakes." "Fuji." "I promise, it's fine Tezuka. You've made your point, now I want you to go play. For me." Fuji replied, placing his delicate hand over Tezuka's larger one. Tezuka stared at Fuji a long while before replying, "Ah." As the pro stood to leave, Fuji pulled him down to eye-level, his blue-eyes flashing playfully yet seriously, "Of course, if you don't win, you'll have me to deal with." He then did something completely unexpected, for both himself and Tezuka. Fuji gave his friend a soft, quick kiss.

Upon realizing what he had just done, Fuji's eyes opened wide with shock as he stared at Tezuka, whose face was unreadable. "Tezuka, I'm so…" "Don't apologize." Tezuka interrupted. Seeing the smaller boy about to protest, he repeated, "I said don't apologize. Unless you regret what you did." Upon saying this, Tezuka took Fuji's hand in his own, rubbing circles with his thumb along the back of it. The tensai just stared for a long while, watching Tezuka trace circles on his hand, before replying, "I…I don't regret it. Three years with no explanation, I never truly believed you'd left me. I couldn't accept it. So I guess it's easier for me to accept that you're here now, doing something I never thought you'd do, just to prove to me how important I am to you." he chuckled, "Sounds, absurd, ne Kunimitsu?" "Not at all Syuusuke. It's you." The pro replied, leaning down to kiss his renewed lover.

After they broke the kiss, Fuji smiled brightly, his eyes shining in a way that caused Tezuka to lose his breath. "Go, Tezuka, I believe we've kept Echizen waiting long enough." Fuji smiled again, "But do me a favor before you leave?" "Anything." Tezuka replied, brushing away a few stray locks of hair to kiss the broken boy's forehead. "Call a nurse to bring me some medication? This is not the most pleasant feeling in the world." Fuji said, gesturing to the bandages around his chest and leg. "Ah." Tezuka replied, hurrying out to fetch a nurse. Upon his return, Tezuka watched as the nurse hooked a bag of fluid onto the IV. "He should be out within the next three minutes." she said as she hurried out of the room. "Kunimitsu?" Fuji said softly, holding his hand out. Tezuka took it in his own, giving Fuji a questioning glance. "I love you." Fuji said simply, yawning. "I love you too Syuusuke." Tezuka replied. "Kunimitsu?" Fuji said again, earning another questioning look from his boyfriend, "I'm very sleepy." "That's the medication Fuji, you should fall asleep shortl…" Tezuka felt the hand in his relax, and looked down at the sleeping boy beside him. He squeezed Fuji's hand gently, before pulling the blanket up over the boy, and leaning down to whisper in his ear, "I love you Fuji Syuusuke. Sweet dreams."

* * *

**Hn. It's finally finished. Only took two and a half years, ne? Apologies for leaving a cliff-hanger for so long. To make it worse, this ending has been written since just after I last posted. At the time I did not like it, and waited to write a better ending. However, a lot has happened between then and now, and I would like for my story to finally have an ending. Any reviews/comments are welcome. Thanks to all who read!**


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